Israeli Prime Minister Has A Warning For The US

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during the weekly cabinet meeting at his office in Jerusalem July 6, 2014.
REUTERS/Gali Tibbon
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appeared on CBS' "Face The Nation" Sunday morning where he decried alleged cooperation between the US and Iran in the fight against the jihadist group Islamic State (also known as ISIS or ISIL).

In addition to warning against military coordination, Netanyahu stressed Iran should not be allowed to keep or grow its uranium enrichment program through the P5+1 nuclear negotiations, which have a deadline of Nov. 24.

To bolster his arguments, Netanyahu argued Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has "participated in rallies and chants of 'death to America' and 'death to Israel.'"

"This is not a friend, neither in the battle against ISIS nor in the effort — the great effort that should be made to deprive it of the capacity to make nuclear weapons," said Netanyahu. "Don't fall for Iran's ruse. They are not your friend."

Netanyahu said Israel is "fully coordinated" with the US in the fight against ISIS, which he characterized as a "global conflict" against jihadists.

"The Middle East is awash with militant Islamists," he explained.

Netanyahu went on to say the main groups in this tide of extremism are ISIS and Al Qaeda on "the Sunni side" and Iran and Hezbollah on the "Shi'ite side."

The Israeli leader was also asked about an interview published by The Atlantic last month where an anonymous Obama administration official was quoted referring to him as "chickens--t." Netanyahu declined to directly respond to the quote, but dismissed speculation US relations with Israel have deteriorated.

"Look, I'm not going to deal with anonymous sources that issue all sorts of critical statements. I think that's not appropriate," said Netanyahu. "I will say this, I think the relationship between Israel and the United States is very, very strong."